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 WARNING TO MALE GOONS: THIS THREAD MAY BE GROSS TO SOME OF YOU AND WILL CONTAIN A LOT OF FEMALE PERIOD TALK/TMI. UNLESS YOU CAN STOMACH THAT, PLEASE MOVE ALONG! THANKS! Surprisingly, I don't think there has ever been a thread made about this topic, so I'm going to take the plunge. For all the female goons out there, I want to have a thread dedicated to menstrual cups. I have to say, after making the switch to one of these, I would never, ever go back to any other product. What is a menstrual cup?  A menstrual cup is just that--a silicone or rubber cup that can be used to collect menstrual fluid while you are on your period. It is worn internally just like a tampon, but rather than absorbing the fluid, it merely collects it. What are the advantages of using a menstrual cup vs. pads or tampons? The advantages of menstrual cups are enormous. Some of them are as follows:
How do you insert and remove a menstrual cup? There are tons of YouTube videos on this very topic! This video is pretty helpful for newbies: How to use a menstrual cup Be warned that there is a learning curve with this. You need to be comfortable with feeling around "down there" and the first time you try it, it's not a bad idea to wear a panty liner until you are totally sure that you have a good seal and it's not leaking. To remove it, it's easiest to squat and bear down (like you're trying to push it out). You don't need to worry about it getting stuck; after all, we are designed to push out an entire baby and a menstrual cup is considerably smaller than that. You will have to reach up a bit with your thumb and index finger in order to grab onto the bottom and pull, though, so that's why you need to be comfortable with yourself. Cups usually have a "stem" at the bottom to make removal easier, but sometimes you can feel the stem and it isn't very comfortable. I solved the problem by trimming it to be a bit shorter with a pair of scissors. What are different brands of menstrual cups? DivaCup (Canadian company, I am American but I use the DivaCup) Lunette LadyCup (for European Goons) The Keeper/Keeper MoonCup Femme Cup (UK goons) You can find pretty much any of these easily on Amazon.com. I ordered my DivaCup that way. What about sizes? You need to choose a size based on whether you have gone through vaginal childbirth yet or not. I haven't had children yet, so I have size 1 DivaCup. Size 2 is slightly larger to account for your vagina being more stretched out after giving birth, I suppose. How do you keep it clean? Each month, I stick mine in the top rack of my dishwasher after my period is done. That sanitizes it pretty well. During my period, I always empty and reinsert while in the shower. That way everything goes down the drain and there is no mess. By doing it in the shower you don't have to worry about spills on your bathroom floor, or fluid accidentally getting on your clothes or underwear. If there are any female goons out there who use these, please feel free to chime in with your own experiences. If you're on the fence about whether you should try it out, ask questions here! If I missed anything important that anyone else thinks should belong in the OP, please post about it and I can edit in that info.
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Nov 13, 2010 17:49
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 Can you present medical proof that there is no risk of TSS because holy poo poo I would not leave anything other than an IUD in there for that long. ESPECIALLY if you only wash it once per period.
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Nov 13, 2010 17:59
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How the hell is something the size of your palm jammed up in your cooch supposed to be comfortable for 12+ hours?
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Nov 13, 2010 18:03
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There have actually been many threads about these things over the years I always wonder what happens if you have to clean it while you're out. You said 12-24 hours. If i get up at 6am for work, well 12 hours later is only 6pm. What happens if I can't stop home? Do you wash it out in a public bathroom 
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Nov 13, 2010 18:17
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psychicattack posted:There have actually been many threads about these things over the years
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Nov 13, 2010 18:47
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Nereid posted:
The increased risk of TSS with extra absorbent tampons is caused by people who use a larger tampon than they require, causing the super absorbent tampon to suck up the natural moisture in the vagina, causing small lesions or lacerations in the vaginal wall because of the drying. Bacteria then has a way to enter the blood stream through those itty bitty cuts. Simply having something inside your vagina isn't going to increase your risk for TSS. People (myself included) leave a Nuvaring up there for a month without taking it out. Additionally, an IUD isn't in the vaginal canal but rather inside the uterus, so it is completely unrelated.
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Nov 13, 2010 19:24
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Orgophlax posted:How the hell is something the size of your palm jammed up in your cooch supposed to be comfortable for 12+ hours? I bought one a few months ago as I travel a lot and it seemed more practical than carting around tampons. It scared the hell out of me. Looked really big (I'd had times when I could barely get a tampon in since my body seems to want to impersonate a clamp during my period), struggled to get it out the first few tries because I panicked a bit. Once I got used to it, though, it was great. Some days at my work I basically don't get a break and it doesn't need to be changed so much as a tampon, plus it doesn't dry me out, so sex is easier. The best thing is it seems to have minimized my cramps. Before they were horrid the whole time, now they're only bad the first few hours and then maybe a day later, and there's no cramps at all the rest of the time. I used to spend so much on painkillers and heat pads because I had cramps all the way through. I don't know if it's psychosomatic but I don't really care why as long as I am crampfree!
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Nov 13, 2010 19:54
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Menstrual cups are awesome, changed my life. I have a DivaCup and a MeLuna. Cups are way superior to every other kind of period product for every reason. Comfort, convenience, more sanitary, environmentally friendly, etc. I deal with my period once in the morning, and once at night. That's it! As for dealing with it in public restrooms, I rarely have to do this because it can be left in there for much longer than a tampon. The one time I had to deal with it in a portapotty, I just brought a bottle of water with me into the stall.
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Nov 13, 2010 20:25
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Are there any odor issues? Since you don't thuroughly clean the cup daily? Also are there any brands the avoid for any reason?
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Nov 13, 2010 20:57
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I can link to a photo size comparison. I personally haven't had odor issues while using my cup, but I usually shower daily and empty the cup when I get home/before bed/at least 6 hours when I can. I know Lunette sells gentle alcohol wipes if you're really concerned about cleaning on the go/cleaning.
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Nov 13, 2010 21:11
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psychicattack posted:There have actually been many threads about these things over the years If I'm in a situation where I know I'll have to clean it out in public, I'll usually carry a travel size pack of baby wipes or alcoholic wipes with me. Then I can dump it out in the toilet and wipe it clean before re-inserting without having to parade around with it outside a stall and use the sink where other people might see (oh the grossness that would be! ). However, I stick in the dishwasher at the end of my cycle for a lengthy, steaming hot cleaning to be on the safe side.Coolness Averted posted:Are there any odor issues? Since you don't thuroughly clean the cup daily? Also are there any brands the avoid for any reason? I haven't personally experienced odor issues at all. When I rinse mine out in the shower, I usually also clean it with mild antibacterial soap too. As far brands, I haven't really heard anything super negative about them. Some brands might fit your body better than others, though. I know that DivaCup is the "longest" brand (meaning it sits the lowest in your cervix) so some people feel that one when it's in and wind up buying a brand that's "shorter." Orgophlax posted:How the hell is something the size of your palm jammed up in your cooch supposed to be comfortable for 12+ hours? I think the person's hands in the photo must be small, because it's not that huge, lol. It really is comfortable, though. The silicone is very flexible and it molds to your interior shape. Once you have it in, you really don't even remember that it's there other than when you go to rinse it out and re-insert.
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Nov 13, 2010 21:19
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Nereid posted:
Directly from the Lunette website: Lunette Website posted:The Lunette menstrual cups hold 25 ml (size 1) or 30 ml (size 2). As a comparison, a tampon that absorbs this amount (25 to 30 grams) is dangerous and even illegal in some countries, because of the risk of TSS. Page link: http://www.lunette.com/index.php?id=12
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Nov 13, 2010 21:27
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Every time I hear about them I get more and more interested. Do you have a favorite brand? I'm on Seasonique so I only get a period every four months anyway. I'd love to avoid the OH poo poo I FORGOT A TAMPON thing when it does come around.
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Nov 13, 2010 22:40
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The Blue L-Block posted:Every time I hear about them I get more and more interested. Do you have a favorite brand? I'm on Seasonique so I only get a period every four months anyway. I'd love to avoid the OH poo poo I FORGOT A TAMPON thing when it does come around. Personally, I only have used DivaCup. It's the first one I've ordered and it works for me. I don't think it's fair to call it a favorite since I haven't tried others. Perhaps some other people can talk about their brands, too?
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Nov 13, 2010 22:42
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I love my Moon Cup! UK goons can buy them in Boots for about £21. I think I've saved about £100 in products since I bought it a year or so ago. I find that my period pains are significantly lower when I'm using it, and it's FAR more comfortable than both pads and tampons. You do have to get a bit more comfortable with your bodily functions, though. Edit: Also it feels horrible the first few times you use it, awkward and gross, but once you try again and get it right, it works like a dream. Persevere! Also, Mooncup have a live support line you can call if you have a panic. LargeHadronColada fucked around with this message at 00:40 on Nov 14, 2010 |
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Nov 13, 2010 22:58
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DIVA CUP LOVER HERE! I was pretty vocal in the last cup thread, so excuse me if any of you have heard all this before. I have the hugest, messiest, clottiest, longest periods known to man. I can fill a super plus tampon AND an overnight pad (at the same time) in an hour on my heaviest days. I leak everywhere, and am generally just disgusted with myself when my periods come along. The diva cup changed my freaking life. I haven't ever leaked a drop with it. At first it didn't work well for me because my cervix is extremely low, and the cup was forming its seal above my cervix. I did some research though, and found that flipping the cup inside out solves all my problems. It makes the cup shorter and stouter, and makes it seal exactly where my body needs it to seal. I have a life now. I used to be so jealous of people that had normal periods and whose lives didn't change completely the second they started bleeding. Now I am one of those carefree "Oh I'm on my period? I hardly noticed!" people. It is loving fantastic. You do have to be comfortable with your lady bits. My mom refuses to try one because good girls don't insert their entire hands into their vaginas. My 17 year old daughter is too disgusted to try one also, even though her periods are as bad as mine. I keep suggesting it to her, though. She's softening. A little. I now have 2 diva cups. I keep one at home and one in my car. I am so happy with how much garbage I am saving from going to a landfill. I try to convert every woman I know. It isn't going well. Most people are disgusted by the thought of it in my age group and older. I wish someone would have told me about these things when I was much younger. I am not joking in the least when I say this thing has changed my life.
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Nov 13, 2010 23:28
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Yeah, cups are awesome. They're way nicer and easier than using pads or tampons. Tampons were always really uncomfortable for me, so I was kind of wary at first about using a cup, but I've never had any problems with it beyond the first couple tries. As for washing it out when I'm not at home, I just dump the fluid out and then clean it with toilet paper or baby wipes. I've never experienced any leakage with these, but I do still wear liners just in case. I don't know why a lot of people get grossed out by cups, I think they're a lot cleaner than the alternatives. Does anyone know if being a virgin makes it harder to put it? One of my friends is planning on getting one, but she's still a virgin, so she's sort of worried about that. It doesn't seem like it would be much of a problem, since you fold it before putting it in, but I don't know. edit: Yeah, it is really unfortunate that a lot of people are grossed out by these simply because they'll have to touch themselves. It's pretty sad that lots of adult women still see vaginas as "dirty". It's just a body part, get over it. wizardofloneliness fucked around with this message at 23:36 on Nov 13, 2010 |
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Nov 13, 2010 23:29
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Ok I have another question. I have a hosed up cervix or something; it's all tilted at a weird angle. Sometimes I use the sponge and I practically have to get bbq tongs to get it out. What is the likelihood I'll never see this cup again if I try it. My vagina sounds so menacing and cavernous now
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Nov 13, 2010 23:33
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psychicattack posted:Ok I have another question. I have a hosed up cervix or something; it's all tilted at a weird angle. Sometimes I use the sponge and I practically have to get bbq tongs to get it out. I'd say that is not likely to happen! It is more difficult to remove if it is hardly full. But to be disgustingly honest, in the mornings (when my cup is generally at its fullest), I can actually push it out with just muscle movement as I'm peeing. I don't do it on purpose. I always intend to get it out and then pee, but I have to pee so bad in the morning and then I get all flustered trying to hold back peeing and then deciding to pee anyway and then telling myself no no, get it out first so you don't get pee on your hand, that by the time I'm done with all that struggle, I have to hurry up and catch it before it's floating in the toilet. As long as you are flexible enough to get a thumb and forefinger up there comfortably, you will have no problems removing it. If it is too far to reach, just bearing down makes it accessible. edit: as for the virgin thing- it isn't any different to your body than using a tampon. There are 2 sizes available in the Diva Cup. Size one is slightly smaller around and is for women under 35 that have never given vaginal birth. after 35, whether you've given birth or not, you use size 2. I know there is a LiveJournal group that really has their stuff together on all the different cups and have pics and measurements of each brand. If size is *really* an issue, I'd look around there for the smallest one. ThreeFish fucked around with this message at 00:12 on Nov 14, 2010 |
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Nov 14, 2010 00:02
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Just joining in to say that these things are awesome and I'll never use anything else again. Edit - I should add that I leaked a tiny bit the first times because it took a while to figure out how the cup should sit. Also, I was a virgin when I started using mine but that wasn't a problem at all. You squeeze/fold it during the initial insertion anyway. soumise fucked around with this message at 00:25 on Nov 14, 2010 |
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Nov 14, 2010 00:19
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Love my cup! Love it, love it, love it! I'm like ThreeFish and had horrendous disgusting periods with much mess and GUARANTEE at least 2 pairs of ruined underwear every month until I switched to a cup. I haven't had a single leak since. I loving LOVE it!
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Nov 14, 2010 00:39
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Why are these still so fugly? I want options for glitter or opalescence 
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Nov 14, 2010 00:43
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Further goolging shows there are prettier cups being made http://menstrualcupinfo.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/what-is-a-menstrual-cup/ But they are still lacking bedazzled options. And   Click here for the full 800x533 image.  Click here for the full 800x533 image.  Click here for the full 800x533 image. RICKON WALNUTSBANE fucked around with this message at 01:01 on Nov 14, 2010 |
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Nov 14, 2010 00:54
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Foaming Chicken posted:Why are these still so fugly? I want options for glitter or opalescence It may discolor over time so there's no sense in it starting out pretty. I love my DivaCup. I've been using it for roughly 7 years and I've never looked back. No smell, no itch from too dry tampons, no horrible enormous pads! I looove it. Every woman should try it. I usually wipe it out with toilet paper if I have to empty it in a public restroom, but that's only like one day of my period. On the lighter days, it's definitely fine to wear it for 12+ hours... unlike, say, a tampon or pad! If any guys are reading this and wondering how we can be so enthusiastic about a cup for blood & mucous, well, it really does change one's life. Imagine if you had to remember to bring tampons with you everywhere. Imagine the time you forget and have to ask ANY woman, EVERY woman nearby, in a hushed voice, "Excuse me, do you have any pads or tampons?" In a room full of dudes? So embarrassing. Tampon ads aside, it's really not socially acceptable to mention your bleeding vagina in mixed company (or even in prudish all female company, seriously!), and using a cup means you are never surprised-- just start carrying it when you know your period is coming up, or even put it in a day early. On top of that, the comfort factor is night & day with a cup versus pads/tampons. I really don't know why more women don't use these.
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Nov 14, 2010 00:56
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In your demo movie, the way the girl removes it from the clear tube makes it look like you'll be spraying fluid all over the shop. I understand that a glass tube is not a vagina, but is this the case?
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Nov 14, 2010 01:08
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It really does look like it'll be messy, but I swear it isn't. I tend to use my thumb and middle finger and grasp it from both sides, with my palm straddling across where the cup will come out. As soon as it comes out, a flick of the wrist empties it right in the toilet. The seal is so good that whatever fingers you shove up there for removal don't even get any blood on them at all. You have to indent the cup a little when you pull it out in order to break the seal, so it doesn't like pop out or anything. It's more of a gradual movement. No spilling or popping or anything. The only time I make messes is when I leave it in a little too long and it gets filled to the brim. Then it can make a little mess when you try to break the seal. And I also am morbidly curious and usually inspect the contents before I dump it and I have knocked it against my inner thigh on the way back down to dump it and spilled it. But I'm gross. And clumsy.
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Nov 14, 2010 01:19
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I've tried Lunette, LadyCup and Meluna. So far I like Meluna the best and it comes in like 6 colors. Mix 'n match your menstruation I guess. MeLuna isn't made of silicone like the others are though, but it does have a ring at the bottom or a bulb which to me feels easier to get hold of. I also have a slightly tilted uterus/cervix (I'm so liberal even my uterus tilts left? I dunno). If you're worried about someone seeing your cup in your bag, most of the cloth baggies are disguisable and quite pretty.
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Nov 14, 2010 01:42
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Foaming Chicken posted:Why are these still so fugly? I want options for glitter or opalescence That Femmecup looks exactly like my old tuba mouthpiece. There was a thread on menstrual cups in GBS last year around this time, I've been intrigued since then but haven't made the jump to trying one out. There's a store right by where I work that carries the Diva Cup, but I'm worried about starting there since it's said to be the "deepest."
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Nov 14, 2010 01:48
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As a petite woman, which of these brands is the smallest/would be best for me? I'm so small I can only use the slender(teenager) sized tampons; the regular-sized ones hurt.  Also, thanks to the OP for starting this thread! I had no idea these cups even existed and they sound great.
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Nov 14, 2010 01:52
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My old hippy girlfriend bought one of these a couple years ago. She seems to think it's pretty awesome, for what that is worth. I support a revolution toward these cups, save the environment and make my bathroom garbage can less gross at the same time.
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Nov 14, 2010 02:18
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I just bought a DivaCup! I'm actually looking forward to my period so I can try it out. 
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Nov 14, 2010 02:26
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Whoa Now posted:My old hippy girlfriend bought one of these a couple years ago. She seems to think it's pretty awesome, for what that is worth. It would also make plumbers worldwide rejoice
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Nov 14, 2010 03:33
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Whoa Now posted:My old hippy girlfriend bought one of these a couple years ago. She seems to think it's pretty awesome, for what that is worth. I support the idea of these things, but I don't have a bleeding vagina so I feel weird about suggesting it to my wife. The major concern, super-heavy flow, has been addressed earlier but... How would any of the female posters here recommend bringing the issue up?
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Nov 14, 2010 04:41
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I have the Keeper (the ugly brown one on the right in the pic above) and it's pretty cool. Every now and then at the very beginning of my period I'll still get a very small cramp for an hour or so, but that has a little to do with my IUD. I have to say that mine leaks a little if I'm not emptying it every couple hours for the first couple days of my period. I've taken to wearing pantyliners (I can't wait to get some reusable cloth pads and liners) all the time, because I spot a lot and if I try to use the Keeper as long as I'm spotting, I have it in for half a month. I trimmed the nib at the end of the cup to about 1/2 inch, and that makes a huge difference in comfort level. Because of the suction on the cervix, I find that sex is more comfortable if the cup has been removed for at least a couple hours prior to intercourse. I wish I had bought a Moon Cup instead, because then I could boil it to clean it off, but instead I just soak it in 50/50 vinegar & water for half an hour at the beginning and end of each cycle, and that makes a much bigger difference in getting it clean than just soap and water. Best part? $30 for a piece of rubber that will last like 10 years? Awesome.
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Nov 14, 2010 05:10
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psychicattack posted:Ok I have another question. I have a hosed up cervix or something; it's all tilted at a weird angle. Sometimes I use the sponge and I practically have to get bbq tongs to get it out. Try the DivaCup. It's the longest one, and probably one of the easiest to obtain in the US. I used a Divacup for years, then I got a medium MeLuna and I could barely reach to get that thing out the first time I used it... so I think my cervix is pretty high. And for everyone, here is a really awesome  SIZE CHART with detailed measurements so you can figure out what cup to get. There is a cup for you, no matter how weird your vagina is!!!! Fat vag, skinny vag, tall vag, short vag. It's all covered
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Nov 14, 2010 05:22
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Hirudo posted:I just bought a DivaCup! I'm actually looking forward to my period so I can try it out. Don't wait! Try it now so you can get the hang of getting it in and out without the OMG, FAUCET IS ON FULL BLAST urgency. Unlike tampons, you can stick the sucker up there any time of the month. I've taken to using mine during my high-fertility days cause, you know, mucous is yucky in my pants.
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Nov 14, 2010 07:17
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ThreeFish posted:It really does look like it'll be messy, but I swear it isn't. I said this earlier in the thread, but this is why I only empty mine in the shower. That way you just rinse it out in there and there's literally no mess because it all goes right down the drain, and you can clean yourself off of course too. Also, I find that it's much easier to insert if it's run under warm water first, although when I *first* got mine I used some lube when I tried it. It won't get lost inside you. Just bear down, and at least with my DivaCup, it's kind of ribbed at the bottom to make it easier to grab, even if it's moist or wet. You only need to use two fingers and then just kind of squeeze and tug until the seal breaks. Then just pull it on out. I found that it's less awkward if I pull it out quickly, and since I do it in the shower I don't need to worry if it spills over. When I first started using it, I had some discomfort trying to pull it out slowly for some reason. When you put it in, you have to experiment with different fold methods, too. You can't really successfully put it in unless it's folded somehow. This is a link to a great post in the LiveJournal community about different ways to fold and insert: http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/453392.html Hip Hoptimus Prime fucked around with this message at 08:21 on Nov 14, 2010 |
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Nov 14, 2010 08:19
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Ha, this sounds really awesome and I want to try it. Does anyone know if you can buy them in Germany? I haven't really seen any in drug stores around here, so I supposed I'll have to order them or something. Also, one of the links said that you should wait until you have your period to start feeling where your cervix is. Does it really change so much depending on if you're on your period or not? Because I'd rather find out now where it is and get a cup before my next period.
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Nov 14, 2010 08:47
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melaneyelia posted:
I don't know if you're still looking around for cloth liners, but Party in my Pants has a giveaway for a cloth liner for just the cost of shipping, $3.99. I've tried a couple other brands and some homemade cloth pads from Etsy and I really like the ones from Party in my Pants the best. They seem to wash and dry the quickest and absorb the best, but they are on the more expensive side. Etsy isn't a bad resource if you decide you want try out cloth a little longer, but want to spend a little less money, though quality differs from seller to seller (obviously). Fruity Tree, your cervix can move up and down in your vagina depending on what part of your menstrual cycle you're in, but you can totally try out a cup when you're nowhere near your period, just to get used to the sensation of putting it in and taking it out. Once you have that down, when it's your period, the cup will end up where it needs to be, without you having to tug or nudge it *exactly* into place. I have to join the SA Girly Goon Advocates for Menstrual Cups; I never wore disposable pads after middle school because I have sensitive skin and they irritated the gently caress out of my lady parts; I didn't like tampons much either because I went through them so fast but I thought those were my only options. The cup + cloth pad combo has been an amazing find for me, although the only bad "issue" I have is a personal one, I think. I don't think my body likes having things shoved up there for long periods of time because with a tampon, after about an hour and a half I'd start to get nauseous if I couldn't switch it out right away. With a cup, I can go about 5 hours, but I do have to dump it around then or else I begin to feel nauseous as well. No idea why, because as long as I wait about a minute before putting it back in after dumping it, I'm fine for the next 4-5 hours. I just thought I'd mention it in case anyone else has a similar issue--I'm jealous of the women who CAN go 12 hours without dumping their cup, but I still wouldn't give up my cup for anything!
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Nov 14, 2010 09:10
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| # ? Apr 18, 2024 21:45 |
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A lot of goon girls... one special cup.
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Nov 14, 2010 10:36
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